Anchor for decoy ducks



1957 w. J. LECKNER ANCHOR FUR DECOY DUCKS Filed May 15, 1956 INVENTOR. "411756 a: ZfC/OVEE BY WWW ATTORNEYS States Patent 2,813,363 Fatentedi Nbv" 19;,1957

This invention relates to anchors for decoys, and more particularly has reference to a device of the nature described, that may be summarized briefly as follows:

A conventionally shaped decoy has an elongated anchoring or tethering cord connected to the underside thereof. Said cord, in turn, is connected to one end of an elongated strap of elastic properties, and this in turn is connected to an anchor of frustroconical shape. When the decoy is not in use, the cord is coiled about the body thereof. Thereafter, the strap is coiled about the neck, and is stretched against the restraint of its inherent resiliency. Thereafter, the anchor is positioned over the bill of the decoy, and will be drawn tightly thereagainst by the tendency of the coiled strap to contract.

Conventional decoy anchors tend to become entangled with one another and with their anchoring cords, when a number of decoys are deposited in a sack in accordance with conventional practice. The main object of the invention is to provide anchoring means for decoys that will eliminate these tendencies, while at the same time being efiiciently usable whenever the decoys are to be floated.

Among more specific objects of the invention are the following:

To provide a decoy anchor having the mentioned desirable features, at no greater cost than that required for a conventional anchor not having said features;

To facilitate the coiling of the anchoring cord about the decoy and the engagement of the anchor with the decoy;

To provide means connected between a novelly shaped anchor and the anchoring cord that will be adapted to cause the anchor to be fitted tightly upon the bill of the decoy;

To obtain the above described results while still facili tating the adjustment of the anchor to a use position whenever desired; and

To form the anchor and the associated parts in such a manner as to prevent damage to the decoy when the decoy is not in use.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a decoy and its associated anchoring means, as it appears when in use;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the elastic connector strap.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on line 33 of Figure 2 in which the scale is enlarged above that of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section of the anchor per se;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the anchor as seen from the line 5--5 of Figure 4, a portion being shown in section; and

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the decoy with the anchor secured thereto, ready for storage.

Referringgto the,drawingsain.detail, a decoy generally designated m. isiofi. conventional shape; andrcoloring and inoludes aabody, IZ neckt 1.4 andhead 1 6 having,abill;v 18 An.- eye? 20. is securedi to; the; underside. of, the decoy 1 adjacent the-forward.endathereof, and connected. at one end. to said eye is a nr elongted anchoring or. tethering;

cord. 22}. the other. end, 2410f: which is; formed. intoa loop extended, into aa grommet 26secured--in. one end. por tion of: anaelongated fiat; wide. connector. strap; 28= of elastic material, ,such as; rubben A'v similar, grommet 30-. is. secured in ,the' other end' po rtiontoftstrap 28-. Both-ref! thegrommets', inaicommercial. embodiment, would-tbemadezof; some; HDH'rCOITQSiVC ma:-

terial; suc-htastbrass. urth'er, the, length-of, the strap..28

and for. that lzrnatter theidimensions-iofany of thez other.

parts of the invention, may be varied if desired.

A weight 32 is cast of lead or other heavy material and is of tubular, tapering formation, said weight preferably being open at both ends. A screw or equivalent fastening element 34 is extended through grommet 30, and through an opening 36 formed in the weight adjacent the larger extremity thereof, to connect the strap to the weight.

In a commercial embodiment, the ends of the strap 28 would preferably be reinforced by molding a fabric therein, said fabric being inwardly a short distance from each end. This of course is a matter of design and it is mainly important that the strap be resiliently elongatable and be possessed of sufficient strength to prevent tearing thereof under undue strain.

In use, the decoy appears as in Figure 1. At such time as the decoy is to be deposited with other decoys in a sack or similar container, cord 22 iscoiled. about body 12, immediately in back of neck 14. When the cord has been fully wound, strap 28 is coiled about neck 14. The end of the strap connected to weight 32 is then stretched, to permit the weight to be fitted over the bill 18. The coiled strap, tending to contract, will pull the weight to the left in Figure 6, toward the inner end of the bill, and this will insure against the weight accidentally dropping off the bill.

The net result will be that a plurality of decoys, having their anchoring means engaged therewith in the manner shown in Figure 6, may be deposited in a sack, without the decoys becoming entangled. Further, the weight serves as a protective guard for the bill of the decoy, preventing accidental breakage in the event the sack is roughly handled.

It is believed apparent that the invention :is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the sepcific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a decoy including a body, a neck, and a head having a forwardly projecting, tapering bill, of an anchoring means therefor comprising: an elongated tethering cord connected at one end to said body, a Weight tapered complementarily to the bill, thus to be proportioned to fit over the bill of the decoy when the decoy is not in use; and resiliently elongatable connector means connected between the other end of the cord and the larger end of said weight, for holding the weight upon the bill responsive to coiling of said means about the neck and stretching of the same at the weight-connected end thereof.

2. The combination with a decoy including a body, a neck, and a head having a forwardly projecting, tapering bill, of an anchoring means therefor comprising: an elongated tethering cord connected at one end to said body, a weight tapered complementarily to the bill, thus to be proportioned to fit over the bill of the decoy when the decoy is not in use; and resiliently elongatable connector' means connected between the other end of the cord and the larger end of said weight, for holding the weight upon the bill responsive to coiling of said means about the neck and stretching of the same at the weight-connected end thereof, said connector means comprising an elongated strap and grommets mounted in opposite ends of the strap, one for receiving the cord and the other for receiving a fastening element extending into said weight.

3. The combination with a decoy including a body, a neck, and a head having a forwardly projecting, tapering bill, of an anchoring means therefor comprising: an elongated tethering cord connected at one end to said body, a weight tapered complementarily to the bill, thus to be proportioned to fit over the bill of the decoy when the decoy is not in use; and resiliently elongatable connector means connected between the other end of the cord and the larger end of said weight, for holding the weight upon the bill responsive to coiling of said means about the neck and stretching of the same at the weight-connected end thereof, said connector means comprising an elongated strap and grommets mounted in opposite ends of the strap, one for receiving the cord and the other for receiving a fastening element extending into said weight, said strap being formed from a wide, flat length of rubber material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,231,616 Costantino Feb. 11, 1941 2,278,594 Smith Apr. 7, 1942 2,611,988 Gibson Sept. 30, 1952 

